Graeme Hick
Graeme Ashley Hick
Born: 23 May 1966, Salisbury (now Harare), Rhodesia
Major Teams: Zimbabwe, Worcestershire, Northern Districts, Queensland, England.
Known As: Graeme Hick
Pronounced: Graeme Hick
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Test Debut: England v West Indies at Leeds, 1st Test, 1991
Latest Test: England v Sri Lanka at Kandy, 2nd Test, 2000/01
ODI Debut: England v West Indies at Birmingham, Texaco Trophy, 1991
Latest ODI: England v Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC), 3rd ODI, 2000/01
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1987
Career Statistics:
TESTS
(including 07/03/2001)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 65 114 6 3383 178 31.32 48.88 6 18 90 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 509.3 128 1306 23 56.78 4-126 0 0 132.9 2.56
ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS
(including 27/03/2001)
M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 120 118 15 3846 126* 37.33 74.08 5 27 64 0
O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 206 6 1026 30 34.20 5-33 0 1 41.2 4.98
FIRST-CLASS
(1983/84 - 2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 440 725 69 35246 405* 53.72 121 133 552 0
O R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 3451.3 10205 231 44.17 5-18 5 1 89.6 2.95
LIST A LIMITED OVERS
(1983/84 - 2002)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 552 535 81 19349 172* 42.61 36 125 256 0
O R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ
Bowling 1411 6536 224 29.17 5-19 6 4 37.7 4.63
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
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Born in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in May 1966, Graeme Hick was a schoolboy
prodigy. He scored his first century aged just six and averaged 185, aged
just 13, at High School. He was selected as a member of Zimbabwe's 1983
World Cup squad (the youngest ever representative in the competition) at the
age of 17. Originally taken along to gain experience, he won a place in the
team, as his form so impressed captain Duncan Fletcher. He also toured Sri
Lanka with Zimbabwe that winter. He went to Worcester in 1984, on a
scholarship, and soon made experienced bowlers take notice with his
performance in the nets. For the second XI he made six successive centuries,
and his performance in the Birmingham league is still talked of in hushed
tones. He was clearly blessed with an extravagant talent, and made his
Worcestershire debut late in 1984, scoring 82* against Surrey.
Playing for both Worcestershire and the touring Zimbabweans in 1985,
Hick made the first of many first-class centuries: 230 against Oxford
University, and topped 1,000 runs in the season. In 1986, aged 20, he became
the youngest-ever player to score 2,000 first-class runs in a season,
becoming one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year and winning his county cap
in the process. In 1988, he became only the sixth player to achieve 1,000
first-class runs before the end of May. This included a phenomenal 405* (the
highest score in England all century - since 1895 in fact - until Lara's
501* in 1994) against Somerset at Taunton, and 171* against the West Indians
on a tricky New Road pitch. He was a leading light in the multiple
title-winning Worcestershire sides of the mid-1980s.
Meanwhile, Hick had resolved to obtain British citizenship and observe
the qualifying period. His talents were also courted in New Zealand, where
he represented Northern Districts between 1987-88 and 1988-89 (scoring 10
centuries), and where the qualification period was shorter. He also
represented Queensland in 1990-91, notching up another three centuries.
Records fell to him that had previously been the preserve of names as
illustrious as Bradman. In 1990 Hick became the youngest player to 50
first-class centuries, also amassing 645 runs without being dismissed - a
record in English cricket. He became the fastest to 10,000 runs in county
cricket (179 innings) and was seen as the saviour of English cricket when he
finally became eligible for England in 1991.
After a good start to his one-day international career (contributing 86*
to a 213 run stand with Fairbrother in his third game), short odds were
offered for him scoring a debut Test century, but there was to be no fairy
tale. Six runs in each innings (June 1991, Leeds, in the same game as Mark
Ramprakash), were followed by two ducks in the next two Tests against a
formidable West Indian side. He did manage a wicket in his first Test over
(at Lord's), but after more failures in the Edgbaston Test he was dropped
for the first of many times.
After a mediocre tour of New Zealand, his first 50 came in his eighth
Test, a year after his debut, against Pakistan at Edgbaston. Three Tests
later he was dropped again. However the tour to India was to see a marked
change in his fortunes, as he was the highest run-scorer, wicket-taker and
catcher as England were beaten 3-0. 64 in Madras was followed by a maiden
Test century, 178, in Bombay in his 22nd Test innings. The next summer began
with a glorious 187 for Worcestershire against the Australians, but Hick was
dropped despite 64 in the second innings of the Second Test. Recalled for
the Final Test, he bludgeoned his way to 80 (off just 107 balls) before a
careless shot denied him the century he deserved. He missed out narrowly in
the next game too, the First Test in the West Indies, where his 96 (and
bowling of Lara) were bright spots in an English defeat. The following
summer saw his first home Test century, 110 against South Africa, and he
continued with scores of 80 and 98* (he was left stranded as Atherton
controversially declared) in Australia, before a back injury forced him home
early. A century against the West Indies, followed by 96 and 51 in the next
Test, seemed to illustrate that he was finally at home in Test cricket. His
innings of 141 in the First Test of the tour of South Africa was a
masterpiece against strong opponents and in a struggling team. The innings
concluded a run of 413 Test runs while being dismissed three times. His form
then fell away sharply, and failures against India and Pakistan saw him
dropped again next summer, this time for two years.
Hick continued to be a giant at county level, and in 1998 he joined the
hallowed ranks of those who have scored 100 centuries; only Wally Hammond
reached this mark at a younger age and only Bradman and Compton took fewer
innings. Recalled to face South Africa he struggled, but hit 107 in the
one-off Test against Sri Lanka. It was not enough to win him selection on
the subsequent Ashes tour, however, but he was called up as cover for
Atherton, and remained when Thorpe went home injured. He performed
moderately, and represented England in just one Test the following summer
after a disappointing showing in the World Cup.
Hick was awarded a well-supported benefit in 1999, and often captained
the Worcestershire side that year, before being appointed full-time to the
post in 2000. When Hick was recalled to England colours in 2000 against his
old country, Zimbabwe, much was made of his reunification with England
coach, Duncan Fletcher, his old Zimbabwe captain. A century at Lord's
promised much, but a pair at Edgbaston and few runs at Lord's saw him
relegated to number seven in the batting order. He scored a crucial 59,
under pressure (going in at eight after a nightwatchman), as England won at
Headingley. In Pakistan, a second-innings effort of 40 played a vital role
in the Final Test which gave England the series.
27 runs in four innings in Sri Lanka saw Hick jettisoned from the Test
team in favour of Michael Vaughan. He responded in typical fashion with a
murderous century (the second 50 came in 17 balls with seven sixes) against
a Board President's XI that included eight internationals, but there was to
be no recall.
Hick continued to score heavily at first-class level in England, creating
a phenomenal record with a double century against Durham at
Chester-le-Street. It made him the only man ever to have hit home and away
centuries against all 17 opposition first-class counties to underline his
status as a 'Great' at that level. Incidentally, it was his 117th
first-class century, the same number as Bradman. Though it was no surprise
that he was not recalled to the Test team, as England looked more to youth
despite an injury crisis and disappointing results in the summer of 2001, he
was unfortunate not to be in the one-day squad. Hick was forced to look on
as an outsider as England lost all six of their NatWest Series games (to
Australia and Pakistan) and was omitted from both the Test squad to India
and New Zealand and the one-day squad to Zimbabwe. He insisted that he
believed that he still has a role to play in England's future, and has
highlighted the 2003 World Cup in New Zealand as a major incentive. Though a
recall cannot be absolutely ruled out, it is clear that younger players will
be given every chance to establish themselves before the World Cup squad is
selected.
Hick has consistently been rated as one of the best players in the world
at one-day cricket. A talented all-round sportsman who represented his
former country in hockey, he earned the nickname "Arnie" as a result of his
resemblance to Arnold Schwarzenegger. At 6'3" and 14-and-a-half stone, he
uses his power to hit the ball astonishing distances. His huge hands aid his
excellent slip fielding, and his powerful throwing arm is an asset in the
outfield. Though his bowling has not always been taken seriously, he has
well over 200 first-class wickets with a best of 5-18 (against Leicester in
1995). (Copyright CricInfo September 2001)
Last Updated: Saturday, 09-Nov-2002 06:46:45 GMT
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